Christmas is almost here and a new year is also just around the corner.

As you gear up for searching for those perfect gifts, don’t forget to take care of YOU and your business also. And what about your clients and customers that you want to spoil this holiday season? Purchasing gifts for small business owners and entrepreneurs can be downright difficult.

But not to worry because I am sharing a carefully-curated list of a few great gift ideas for small business owners and entrepreneurs that’ll surprise and delight. From the practical to the ultra-unique, there’s definitely something on this list for even the most discerning entrepreneur in your life.

1. Gift Card

What do you do for that person you are buying for but that either have everything or they don’t want anything? Rather than give yourself an ulcer figuring out what to give, get them a gift card to their favorite store and let them spoil themselves silly.

2. Standing Desk

Anyone who owns a small business probably has experienced the aches and pains in their back and hips because they’ve been sitting several hours a day. Sitting too much is seriously bad for your health. A standing desk helps curb these issues by adding more activity to otherwise sedentary tasks.

If you give a standing desk, don’t forget to include an anti-fatigue mat to encourage subtle movement for the leg muscles. They are great lifesavers for feet and knees!

3. Ergonomic Office Chair

Although a quality ergonomic office chair can be expensive, it’s something any business owner spending hours sitting at a desk should have. Depending on the industry, a business owner could spend many hours sitting at a desk. And while standing desks are great options, it’s also nice to sit in a comfy chair too.

With an ergonomic chair, you’ll help avoid back and hip strain, and that’s the real gift here.

4. Ergonomic Keyboard + Mouse

While there is not definitive evidence that these prevent carpal tunnel syndrome or other kinds of repetitive stress injuries, ergononomic keyboards can help reduce strain on your wrists and forearms, preventing painful injuries.

The design of ergonomic keyboards and mice takes a little getting used to. Most people have to gradually fine tune their adjustments until they feel a sense of relaxation in the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders.  Before you know it, they will have found their ideal comfort typing position.

5. Smart Mug

Giving coffee machines is an overdone gift. But a temperature-controlled mug is a different story. If you know someone who is a coffee lover and they like it hot, they will love a smart mug. What makes it ideal is because business owners are so darn busy that they often don't get a chance to drink their coffee whie it is still hot.

6. Quality Webcam

With video calling and video conferencing replacing face-to-face meetings, you want that virtual experience to be as close to the real in-person experience as possible, so the choice of webcam is important. A 1080p or 4k webcam is the perfect gift for someone spending any amount of time in online meetings. Sadly,  not every workstation is equipped with a high-resolution webcam so a business owner on a video client meetings can potentially look like a garbled blob.

7. Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Can't we all appreciate the gift of silence? High-quality headsets using a noise-canceling microphone will reduce background noise, allowing your caller to hear your voice more clearly. The clearer your voice is the more accurate your conversations will be. It also keeps your caller focused on your conversation and less distracted with background noise--very important in a professional business environment.

There are tons of choices and styles for noise-canceling headphones and at varying price points, so be sure to do your research.

8. Business Books

Any entrepreneur will probably love cracking open the latest business books for advice, motivation, or inspiration. According to "Financial Times", the top six business books this year are:

1. The World for Sale by Javier Blas and Jack Farchy

2. Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe

3. The Conversation by Robert Livingston

4. The New Climate War by Michael E. Mann 

5. This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends by Nicole Perlroth

6. The Aristocracy of Talent by Adrian Wooldridge

9. Blue Light Blocking Glasses

Truth is, the amount of screen time we have every day is a problem with no easy solution. But screens are a part of our lives like never before--they are our main tool for work, source of news, entertainment, communication, and social interaction. More than ever, people are working from home, which can be very taxing on your eyes. We must learn to find ways to protect ourselves from the potential negative effects screen use can have.

If you know someone who works in front of a computer or tablet all day long, they will likely welcome a pair of blue light-blocking glasses.

10. External Hard Drive

The hard drive is the component that stores all the data on your computer, from files to software--the central storage bank for our digital lives.
Unfortunately, hard drives don’t have an unlimited amount of space so you might run out of free space if you have lots of large files like movies, PC games, and editing files. Although many peope are saving their data to the cloud these days, having an external hard drive to back that data up is an excellent habit to have.

Even 2TB external hard drives are fairly inexpensive and they seem to go on sale frequently.  Most are practical and fit in the palm of the hand, making them perfect for people without room for large, space-hogging devices. 

11. Microphone

Have you ever listened to someone in meeting on the Zoom platform who sounded like the teacher from Charlie Brown?

It’s not pleasant for anyone. Give your entrepreneurial friends the gift of a clear voice for their online meetings with a quality microphone (Hint: This pairs well with a new webcam).

12. Lighting for Video Conferencing

With many of us are spending our days on video conferences hosted by Zoom, Hangouts, Skype, FaceTime, WebEx and the like, you may have looked into the picture window at yourself and saying, "Really? I look that bad?" The good news is that it doesn't have to be that way. A good lighting setup is an excellent and underrated gift that makes a huge difference when it comes to looking like a pro on video. 

So, if you’re looking for that outside-the-box gift that not many will ever even think of, this may be it!

What Are Your Favorite Gifts for Entrepreneurs?

I’ve shared 12 interesting and fun gift ideas for the small business owners in your life. Isn't it great that not one of them was a gift basket or that poster of a cat saying “Hang in There”.

What did I miss?

What is a great, crowd-pleasing gift you’ve given to a business owner or entrepreneur in your life?

Please let me know.